Chapter 158
Chapter 158. Natural Enemy
“…Nina-sama.”
Standing beside the formidable Lucius was Nina von Frodite, a friend from the academy.
Clearly, in an extraordinary position, Nina was approached cautiously by Hermes.
Nina, on the other hand, stepped forward slightly, casually raising a hand even amid the battlefield.
With a delicate smile, she greeted him as if cherishing their reunion, and then:
“Hey, long time no see, Hermes. ──Sorry about this, though.”
──And with that, she activated her magic.
“!!”
His thoughts froze. His consciousness was being pulled in.
It was the same as back then—no, an even greater force than before.
Her magic, her allure, struck Hermes mercilessly, dragging every part of him toward the beautiful girl standing before him.
This was, without a doubt, the worst-case scenario. It seemed there would be no negotiation, no dialogue, not from the outset. Even so—terrible as it was, it had been anticipated.
“──Sir Albert!”
Summoning all his willpower to fight the ensnaring force overtaking his body and mind, Hermes cried out.
In that instant, a fierce gust of wind blew in from the side.
The windswept Hermes off his feet, carrying him through the air and forcibly removing him from Nina’s magical range. As the wind subsided, Hermes landed, rolling to absorb the impact. Standing beside him now was a boy to whom Hermes gave a simple thanks.
“You saved me.”
“No problem. But…”
Albert, with an equally curt reply, glanced at the spot Hermes had just vacated. There stood—taking his place—
“…It’s been a while, Nina.”
“Nina-sama…”
Katia and Sara. The two girls, who had finally rejoined the group after crossing the mountains, stepped forward protectively.
Or rather—this wasn’t protection.
“──Well? Quite the greeting. Of all things, trying to ensnare my Hermes right before my eyes… What exactly were you thinking?”
“No need to stumble over your words now, Katia-sama. …But, yeah, I’d be mad too.”
Nina responded to Katia’s building fury with a mix of amusement and slight unease. Sara, though quieter, took a resolute stance that clearly declared she wouldn’t allow Nina to approach Hermes.
Seeing the two girls, Nina maintained her wariness but continued speaking.
“…I see. So you prioritized getting Hermes and Albert out of range, since they’re the most vulnerable to my magic. You’ve prepared well. ──But.”
Nina smirked slightly, her tone lightening.
“Sorry, you know? ──My magic works on girls too.”
“What—”
“!”
“Well, it’s been a while, you two. To celebrate our reunion, I’d like to give you both a hug—so, why don’t you come here?”
Spreading her arms, Nina began to approach them. At the same time, as if irresistibly drawn, Katia and Sara started to walk toward her. Just as Nina moved to ensnare them, however—
“Spell Reenactment ── [Theur Gy]!”
Hermes, finally recovered, erected a magical barrier that blocked Nina’s advance. A physical blockade—a known countermeasure to her magic—halted her in her tracks. Muttering, “Oh dear,” Nina stopped as Katia and Sara, still under her influence, were pulled back by Liliana, who had arrived from behind.
As Liliana dragged the two girls to safety, she locked eyes with Nina through the barrier. Nina, ever smiling, said:
“This is our first time meeting, isn’t it? Such a cute princess. …Honestly, I’m already a little smitten. Shall I try it on you too?”
Those words and the unnerving air around Nina made Liliana shiver as she retreated with the others.
A tense standoff ensued—but in truth, it wasn’t even a standoff.
The situation remained static only because Lucius wasn’t actively engaging. And more importantly—because of Nina.
As long as she maintained her magic, no one could approach her.
…It was an absurd sight.
Hermes, Katia, Sara—warriors beyond the capabilities of ordinary Bloodline Magician, capable of taking on armies single-handedly—
Yet they were utterly helpless before one girl.
Nina von Frodite’s Bloodline Magic, [Il Felrina].
Its effect: enthrallment. And its power grew stronger the more its target admired her.
The magic came with significant limitations, but if the conditions were met, it was overwhelming.
In other words—
To the four key players in this battle, she was undeniably their natural enemy.
“…This is bad.”
Hermes had speculated about Nina’s magic. He had even considered the possibility that it could work on people of the same gender.
But its strength far exceeded anything he’d imagined.
If the former academy students here charged in without a plan—
It was likely they’d all be completely defeated by Nina alone, frozen by her enthrallment and captured with her formidable close-quarters combat abilities.
Her magic was that powerful. Merciless, even.
Facing her directly had made that painfully clear.
To make matters worse, Lucius—the monster who had just defeated Hermes head-on—was still there.
Not to mention the ever-growing number of enemy soldiers from the Northern Alliance.
The situation was deteriorating rapidly.
“…Damn it.”
Even so, Hermes wracked his brain, trying to think of a way to deal with Nina and Lucius, to somehow drive them back.
But as he strategized, Nina jumped lightly back beyond the barrier and exchanged words with Lucius.
“Are you ready now?”
“…Yeah. I’m fine, Brother.”
“Good. Then—”
Lucius stepped forward, taking a deep breath.
“You understand now, don’t you, the elite of the Third Princess’s faction? Your meddling in the Northern conflict, your presence here—all of it was anticipated!”
“…Of course.”
Hermes accepted the bitter truth. There was no way their most dangerous foes would have coincidentally gathered here. Their movements had been leaked from the start.
Lucius continued.
“That is why—to shatter your arrogance, your hubris in thinking you could prevail, and to crush the hope of the Northern heretics— Our leader will deliver judgment. Behold!”
The word leader carried weight.
Guided by Lucius’s booming voice, everyone turned their gaze in the same direction—to a figure standing atop a small hill.
“──”
There stood a man, appearing to be in his late fifties.
His bearing suggested not decline, but dignity befitting his age.
With striking white hair, radiant copper eyes, and a robe adorned with religious motifs, he exuded an aura of authority. The purple sash on his attire signified the highest rank.
The gathered soldiers murmured in awe.
“…Archbishop Johann…”
But Hermes was unfamiliar with the name. As he tried to discern who the man was, Sara spoke beside him.
“Johann von Cantabel.”
She continued, explaining for Hermes’s benefit.
“One of the four high-ranking officials beneath the head of the church. The most accomplished and influential among them, both in name and in reality.”
In short, she summarized:
“He’s the church’s number two.”
“Well, isn’t that something?”
An extraordinarily powerful figure had appeared.
It was clear now—the church wasn’t just involved in this rebellion; they were leading it.
Lucius’s reference to the man as “leader” confirmed it.
As the scale of the Northern rebellion came into sharper focus, Hermes fixed his gaze on Archbishop Johann.
And then—the man spoke.
“…How lamentable.”
The words were soft but resonant, carrying a weight that sank into the pit of one’s stomach.
“No matter how many times I preach, no matter how often I urge understanding—humans persist in defying the words of God. Why do you rebel? Why this futile resistance? Where has the conduct befitting beings made in God’s image gone? You are no better than apes.”
With scornful authority, Johann von Cantabel continued to address the assembly.
“…But we must guide you. To that end, since ancient times, there has been one effective method to swiftly instill God’s words in those who stray. ──Pain.”
Raising his hand, the archbishop’s face twisted into a cruel smile. He pronounced.
“──Thus, I shall deliver divine punishment. Witness it, embrace it, and perish.”
At that moment—
Magical energy surged in the air above.
Hermes sensed it instantly.
The air around the six mages—Hermes, Katia, Sara, Albert, Liliana, and Jurgen—shifted.
The energy in the sky condensed, light intensifying as it gathered over their heads, ready to unleash devastation.
“No…”
Hermes recognized the spell.
It was a family Bloodline Magic—a magic both familiar to him and exclusive to the royal family.
A cornerstone of their lineage’s strength. Its name…
“…[Hlidskjalf]…?”
Doubt and shock filled his voice as the light of divine punishment came crashing down upon them.